Justin Martyr

Our father among the saints Justin Martyr, also Justin the Martyr, was one of the earliest apologists for the Christian faith. A convert to Christianity, he produced a number of works during the middle of the second century, amongst them two Apologies addressed to the Roman emperors, defending and explaining Christianity that he believed was the true philosophy. The power of his arguments was to earn him his martyrdom.

Life

The dates of Justin Martyr’s birth and death are not known. He is believed to have been born between 100 and 114, just as the first century ends. His death is believed to be between 162 and 168. Most of what is known of his life comes from his writings. He was born in Palestine in Flavia Neapolis, known in Old Testament times as Shechem, but now as Nablus. He called himself a Samaritan, although his father, Priscos, and grandfather, Baccheios, may have been Greek or Roman. As a child he was raised a pagan in a family of means and studied philosophy at various schools including those in Alexandria and Ephesus. He appears to have traveled extensively and eventually settled in Rome.

In his studies he initially leaned toward Stoicism, then toward Pythagoreanism followed by Platoism before becoming interested in Christianity while in Ephesus. There he was impressed by an elderly Christian who explained that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises made through the Jewish prophets. He was also impressed by the steadfastness of the Christian martyrs. His soul inflamed with a love of the prophets and those who were friends of Christ, Justin became a Christian about 130. As a philosophy student his approach to Christianity was that it brought completeness to the pagan philosophies.

Justin’s martyrdom appears to be the result of his bettering the Cynic philosopher Crescens in debates in Rome. Around 165, on charges, possibly by Crescens, of following an illegal religion the prefect, Rustcus, condemned Justin to death by beheading with six of his companions: Chariton, Charito, Evelpostos, Paeon, Hierax, and Liberianos. The Acts of Justin the Martyr is believed to be a record of this trial.

Works

Justin was a prolific writer. Many of his writings now are known only through excerpts and quotation by other authors of antiquity. Only three of Justin’s works are extant of which their authenticity is certain: two versions of his ‘‘Apology’‘ and one of ‘‘Diologue’‘ His ‘’Dialogue with Trypho’’ purports to record conversations that Justin had with a Jewish rabbi named Tryphon, who may have been the rabbi Tarphon mentioned often in the Talmud, in verbal attempts to reconcile Christian and Jewish positions, in the second century. Among other works attributed to him are:
On the ResurrectionA Discourse to the GreeksExhortation to the GreeksOn MonarchyExposition of the FaithLetter to Zenas and SerenusAnswers to the OrthodoxThe Greek’s Questions to the ChristiansRefutation of Certain Aristotelean ThesesThe PsalmistOn the Soul